Compare towns
Fairlee vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most kids (14.2% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Fairlee | Jay | Sandgate | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,066Highest |
471 |
435 |
54Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
52.1±10.5Lowest 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
| Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
| Jay and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$277,500±$28kHighest 12% below VT |
| Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242Highest 12% below VT |
— | — | $1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
| Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$3,750 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 3% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
— |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.